ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -Bills rookie Trent Edwards will make his second straight start when Buffalo hosts Dallas on Monday night after J.P. Losman missed practice Wednesday.
Coach Dick Jauron ruled Losman out, saying the quarterback is recovering steadily from a sprained left knee but it’s not clear when he’ll be able to resume practicing with the team.
Losman has been out since he was hurt during the first series of a 38-7 loss at New England on Sept. 23.
Edwards was inconsistent standing in for Losman against the Patriots, but shined leading the Bills to their first victory in his first career start, a 17-14 win over the New York Jets last weekend.
the No. 1 job once Losman is healthy.
Jauron continued to sidestep questions about whether Losman would get his job back.
“The response to that question has always been the same for me, and it has been for a number of years: Any position on our team is up for grabs. It always is,” Jauron said. “The best guy will be the guy that plays. Other than that, there’s not a whole lot to say about that position right now because J.P. isn’t able to practice.”
The Bills enter their bye week after playing Dallas, and then host Baltimore on Oct. 21.
Edwards is attempting to keep an even keel in preparing for a prime-time game.
“It’s definitely been a fun experience so far. I never thought it would happen this quickly for me. But that’s the way the pieces fall sometimes,” he said. “I am going to just try and keep doing my job. I know I still have a lot to learn.”
Buffalo remains a banged-up team as it prepared to host its first Monday night game since Sept. 26, 1994.
Backup safety Jim Leonhard (calf) and reserve linebacker Kevin Harrison (knee) were ruled out after both were hurt last weekend. Reserve cornerback Ashton Youboty’s status is uncertain after he missed practice with an ankle injury also sustained against the Jets.
That further depletes a defense that already has three starters on the season-ending injured reserve list. And that doesn’t include reserve defensive end Ryan Denney (broken foot) and reserve linebacker Coy Wire (sprained knee), both of whom aren’t expected back until after the bye.
Starting linebacker Keith Ellison practiced Wednesday for the first time since hurting his knee in Buffalo’s preseason finale, but it’s not clear whether he’ll be ready to play Monday.
The Bills could get back one player on Sunday: reserve defensive end Anthony Hargrove, who finished serving the NFL’s four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.
The Bills have not yet decided to activate Hargrove, although he has returned to practice. The Bills have until Monday afternoon to make a decision whether to activate or release him.
Jauron said he’s pleased Hargrove stayed in condition while he was suspended, but added the player is not yet in game shape.
“We’re pulling for him,” Jauron said. “He’s a very likable guy, a guy you want to have everything to go well for him. We’re in his corner.”
Hargrove said he’ll be playing after he practiced with the Bills first special teams unit.
“Look for me. If we’re kicking off first, I’ll be out there getting this thing bumping and jumping,” Hargrove said. “Monday night, prime-time TV: That’s nothing but setting the stage for me.”
And he was thankful the Bills stuck by him during his suspension.
“This is a gift. Not everybody gets to play this game,” he said. “They gave me a second chance. They believe in me. And I don’t want to let them down.”
Hargrove still faces potential trouble from a confrontation he had with police outside a Rochester nightclub during training camp in August. He pleaded not guilty to three misdemeanors and is next scheduled in court on Oct. 11.
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